This third episode of the new season is all about Dr. Abby Lockhart. She flubs a diagnosis that nearly costs her patient his life, and her two-year-old son suffers a head injury after falling from a play structure. With her husband on an extended stay in Croatia, Abby is feeling all alone as she struggles to balance being both a doctor and a mom. To add insult to injury, she is involved in a traffic accident on her way home with her son! Though physically she and the boy are OK, the stress of the day leads Abby to apparently abandon her hard-earned sobriety as we later on see her open a bottle of wine. Talk about your bad days . . .

Meanwhile, Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) tries to help a destitute former NFL star get treatment for his badly arthritic hip, and Dr.Gates (John Stamos) arranges a day at the ballpark for his terminally ill patient. On a lighter note, the ER staff receives free pampering from a beauty shop owner as thanks for helping the woman's son -- unfortunately the staff can't remember who her son was! And Dr. Morris (Scott Grimes) helps a boy overcome his fear of the boogeyman with disastrous, but funny, results.

"ER" continues its great run this season, making this series the comeback show of the year. Anchored by the excellent Maura Tierney (Dr. Lockhart) and supported brilliantly by a top-notch cast, this is the place to be if you're in the market for compelling stories and terrific acting.